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The Editorial Page   A place for Editorial comment and Letters to the Editor   By Sandy Neilly Winter, here in Ontario, has been quite kind to us this year, all things considered.   Back in very early January, we headed to Florida thinking we would miss three weeks of cold weather only to endure temperatures that were pretty close to the weather here at home. We comforted ourselves with the “it’s just nice to get away” line, but the cool weather affected almost everything we did.   Outdoor markets were poorly attended by both vendors and buyers alike - and who could blame anyone for staying bundled up at home? There were a few diehard sellers, probably snowbirds from the northern states, (or provinces) who rolled out their wares, but it was slim pickin’s on all but one or two antiquing excursions.   (Apparently we should have headed west to Vancouver and the Olympics instead if we were looking for warm weather.)   There is one advantage to lousy weather when you’re on vacation; it makes it much easier to come home. If it had been a typical warm, sunny Florida day when we left, there might have been a small skirmish to deal with - but that wasn’t the case.   Arrival back was also sweetened with the prospect of attending the Kingston Cabin Fever show, which is always a wonderful event to get to. It’s a nice size, without being overwhelming, and the variety of items is amazing. This year was no different and it was a real pleasure to look around and talk to any vendors who could spare a second in between buyers.   Trying not to impede traffic while taking photos at shows is a constant struggle and I really am grateful for the time and kindness offered by most vendors. We realize how hard everyone has worked to get their booths set up (at any show) - right from the purchase of the items for reselling through to the loading up of their vehicles, the driving, the unpacking, even the sale itself. It’s all hard work and their success depends on the people who have paid admission to view the wares and hopefully purchase them.   I recall a gentleman, (long since passed away) who used to know everyone east of Toronto, or so it seemed. This kindly, and very interesting man would run into more friends at any given antique show than a politician would after winning an election. The problem was, we used to bring a lot of church pews to shows - and that is precisely where this sociable gentleman liked to sit and chat with a few friends - often in the middle of our booth. There were many occasions when prospective buyers would attempt to enter the booth, struggle to get past a few pair of outstretched legs, and then turn around and go to the next vendor. It got a bit frustrating at times. After tolerating this for some time at a number of shows, we did learn to re-situate any seating we brought to sell, and would try to place some objects strategically on those items so as to further discourage friendly group meetings. But even those efforts failed at times, leaving us with no option but to gently ask the oblivious person to chat elsewhere - an awkward thing to have to do.   Moral of the story; it’s best to visit with friends somewhere other than the booth of a dealer who is hoping to have a great show and might be too kind-hearted to ask you to move on.   Sometimes we don’t realize these things, so there ... now it’s been said.   Spring is coming - we can tell by all of the shows lined up in the calendar, (quite different from the Jan/Feb issue, where we had to sneak in an extra month). Our conversations with shop owners and show organizers, both established and new, are full of optimism and enthusiasm for the upcoming season. It holds great promise.   A warm welcome back to everyone who has been hibernating or out of the country.We’ve missed you. Now it’s time to get those sneakers dusted off.   Spring is around the corner and we all have to get down to business and plan our excursions and adventures. There are wonderful things waiting to be found at our fabulous shops and shows. The enjoyable part is finding them. The tough part is knowing where to begin. If you’re having trouble deciding where, exactly, to start, the best place would be right here, in the Wayback Times. There are so many wonderful places to choose from.   Have fun and remember not to leave the paper at home when you leave. You’re going to need it.       Return to top of page   This Is Livin' Publishing © 2010 581 8th Line West, RR1 Hastings, ON, K0L 1Y0 Phone/Fax: 705-696-1833   webmaster